Last month on our way to Asheville Brandon and I stopped off at one of the most peaceful apple orchards in the western North Carolina mountains. We were hoping to do some apple picking (which would have been a first for the both of us) but unfortunately the trees were bare with nothing left to pick.

While that part turned out to be a bit of a fail, Lucy made friends with the orchard dog and it was so fun to watch them play as we took in the beautiful scenery. I also came really close to getting a fresh apple cider donut but it’s been so long since I’ve had dairy and as much as I love me some donuts, knowing there was milk in them killed it for me.

So I did the next best thing. I took home a jug of their homemade apple cider and got to work on a vegan donut recipe!

I made the first batch with spelt flour and then realized that I should check-in with you guys to see if you rather have a gluten-free version. According to my Instagram poll, 70% of you requested gluten-free! I think that settles it.

So we have my usual go-to gluten-free baking mix of almond and oat flour along with some spices, coconut sugar, applesauce and of course, apple cider.

For the glaze, I whipped up a very similar version of the Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce from Angela’s lovely cookbook, Oh She Glows Everyday by replacing the peanut butter with almond butter and adding a touch of cinnamon. I stuck true to her recipe by using coconut nectar but I know that’s a unique ingredient to have on hand so you could probably get away without it. The glaze might not be as caramel-like but it will certainly taste good.

While they’re much softer than a traditional fried apple cider donut, they’re full of flavor and are a great way to satisfy a craving. You can also make them in a muffin pan if you don’t have a donut pan. Enjoy!

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk the flax and water together then set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients.

In a measuring cup, combine the cider, apple sauce and vanilla. Pour into to the bowl with the dry ingredients, along with coconut oil and flax egg. Stir until evenly combined.

Divide the batter between the 6 donut wells so that each is about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the doughnuts have puffed up and the tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and after a few minutes, place the doughnuts on a cooling rack.

Once the doughnuts are completely cooled, drizzle with caramel sauce, serve immediately and enjoy! (It’s best to drizzle with caramel as you’re ready to eat since the donuts will absorb the glaze if left for a long period of time. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

*If you don’t have coconut nectar, brown rice syrup will also work. Otherwise you can leave it out.

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!